‘I started out as rapper but sucked’ — Asa speaks on being ‘Marlian’

Bukola Elemide, Nigerian-French vocalist better known as Asa, says she started out as a rapper but sucked.

She also disclosed that she loves Naira Marley’s works.

The 37-year-old opened up on the artistes with whom she looks to collaborate in subsequent projects while speaking with Cool FM.

Admitting she’s ‘Marlian’, a popular way of describing die-hard fans of Naira Marley, Nigeria’s controversial singer, she added that she looks to meet Teniola Apata.

“People who knew me, in the beginning, would remember that I started out as a rapper. But I know that I sucked. So, I just humbled myself and stuck to where God really put me,” she said.

“But I love rap music. You know I listen to Drake. Even TI, I love what he’s done. You know, his community. I like G-Eazy. I love Cardi B also, she cool.”

While buttressing her love of Naira Marley, Asa said she would rather leave out the controversial rapper’s convictions about cyber fraud and stick to his music.

“Let them (SARS) take me, perhaps I’ll be as popular as Naira Marley. I think I’m a Marlian. I love Naira Marley,” she said, further clarifying the motivation for her ‘Murder in the USA‘ track.

“He’s amazing… but let’s just stick to his music. I love Teni, I think Teni and Asa would be awesome. I probably won’t sing, just looking at her and hearing her songs.”

In the clip above, Asa can be seen dancing to one of Naira Marley’s ‘‘Tesumole’, a track off ‘Lord of Lamba’ EP, after having had her first radio interview in for 2020.

Her talks about potential collaborations come after M.anifest, a Ghanaian rapper, hinted he might join forces with her for his next studio project — having worked with Burna Boy and Simi.

It also follows months after she released her 14-track album entitled ‘Lucid’.